Seeding-machine.



= Patnted mar. 20, I900.

A C LINDGREN SEEDING MACHINE.

(Application filed. .15 12, 1900.

2 $heets$heet I.

(No Model.)

No. 645,817. Patented Mar. 20, 1900.

A36. uuusmzu.

SEEDING MACHINE.

(Application filed Jan. 12, 1900.)

2 Shaets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

5 o 4 3 wn 0 2 W 1 5 2 mm .o 0 8 a 2 6 2 5 5 1m; NORRIS wrrzns cu.FHDYO-LITNQ, WASHINGTON. o c.

NITED STAT-Es PATENT FFIC ALEXUS o. LINDGREN, or MOLINE, ILLInoIs,Assienon TO THE MOLINE rL'ow COMPANY, or ILLINOIS.

SEEDlNG- MACHINEQ SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.645,817, dated March 20,1900.

App January 12, 1900. Serial No. 1,195. (No model-3 larly for plantingbeet-seeds and embodying a seed-dropping mechanism, a series of runnerswith channels into which the seed is discharged and directed into thegr'ound,and covering or press wheels traveling in the rear of therunners and acting to cover the dc posited seed with soil.

The invention consists, mainly, in adjusting devices for the runners andpress-wheels so formed and arranged that the position of the runners maybe changed to vary the depth of planting without materially altering theposition or pressure of the press-wheels, to the end that the latterwill at all times travel on the surface of the ground with a constantpressure notwithstanding the depth at which the runners may be working.

The invention also consists in the details of construction andcombination of parts hereinafter described and claimed. I

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a rear perspective view of mymachine with the runners and press-wheels lowered in action. Fig. 2 is atransverse sectional elevation of the same. Fig. 3 isa transversesectional elevation showing the runners and press-wheels elevated out ofaction. Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the seed-hopper and adjacentparts,

showing the driving devices for the seeding.

mechanism and the means for rendering them inoperative when the runnersand presswheels are raised. Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the line a aof the preceding figure; and Fig. 6 is a top plan view of thedrivingsprocket, its clutch, and operating device.

In the accompanying drawings, 1 represents a seed box or hoppersustained above an axle 2, in the form of a pipe square incross-section, by standards 3, fixed firmly to the seedbox and axle,respectively, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The axle is sustained bygroundwhecls 5 and has connected to it frame-bars 6, extending rearwardand connected with a vertical sleeve 7, in which a caster-wheel 8 ismounted, forward of which the frame-bars give support to the driversseat 9.

At intervals on the axle are castings 10, each formed with an openingencircling the axle and adj ustably secured thereto by bolts 11. Eachcasting is provided with a forwardlyextending arm 12, a vertical tubularexten-' sion 13 in rear of the axle, through which the seed is directedinto the runners, and a vertical depending arm 14: in front 'of thetubular extension, the purpose of which will presently appear. To theends of the arms 12 are pivoted the forward ends of runners 15, havingin their rear ends vertical tubular channels 16, with their upper endsencircling the lower ends of the tubular extensions 13, as shown in Fig.2, the size and arrangement of the parts being such that the tubularextensions and run ners will telescope when the latter are ele vated, asshown in Fig. 3.

In rear of each runner is a press or covering 'wheel 17, journaled in apress wheel frame 18, comprising two bars extending forwardly onopposite sides of the runner and the depending arm 14: and pivoted attheir forward ends to the arm 12. The construction is such that thepress-Wheels, like the runners, may be raised vertically, they beingguided in their movements by the depending arms 14, extending betweenthe bars of the frames.

In the operation of machines of this nature in planting it is desirablethat the press-wheels travel at all times at the surface of the groundand act with a uniform pressure notwith- A standing the position of therunners, whether adjusted to plant deeply or near the surface. To effectthis result and to provide means for readily adjusting the parts and forelevating them out of action, 'I mount in brackets on the back of thehopper a square rock-shaft 19, operated by a hand lever 20, providedwith a locking-dog engaging a toothed plate 21. At

intervals on this rock-shaft corresponding in position with the runnersand press-wheels are applied'a series of sleeves22, held adj ustably bybolts 23 and each provided with two radiating arms 24 and 25, the formerbeing shorter than arm and extending in the rear thereof. Arm 24 isconnected with the runner by a rod 26, pivoted at its lower end at theback of the runner and extending at its upper end through a hole in ahead 27, pivoted on the end of the arm. The rod is encircled by a spiralspring 28, hearing at its upper end against the under side of the headand at its lower end against a washer 29, fixed to the rod. By thisconstruction when the arm 24 is lowered it acts through the spring todepress the runner, and when the arm is elevated it engages a cross-pin30 on the upper end of the rod and positively lifts the ru nner from theground. Radial arm 25 is connected with the presser-wheel frame inprecisely the same manner through the medium of rod 31, pivoted at itslower end between the bars of the frame and extending at its upper endthrough an opening in a head 32, pivoted to the end of the arm. This rod31 is encircled by a spiral spring 33, acting in the same manner asspring 28 against the head 32 and a washer 34 on the rod, which latteris provided with a cross-pin 35 at its upper end adapted to be engagedby the head on the arm when the latter is elevated to raise theprcsser-wheel.

The point at which rod 31 is connected with the resser-wheel frame andthe relative arrangement of the hand-lever 20 and radial arms 24 and 25are such that when the lever is pulled to the rear to depress the radialarms and lower the runners and press-wheels into action, as shown inFig. 2, the arm 25 and rod 31 will be in line, or practically so, withthe press-wheels at the lowest point, so that the arm 25 may be moved aconsiderable extent to right or left without changing materially thepressure of the press-wheels either to raise or lower the same. Theother radial arm 24, however, extends rearward at an angle and would,with this to-and-fro movement of arm 25, move from a higher to a lowerpoint, and vice Versa, and would depress or elevate the runners to varythe depth of the planting. From this description it is seen that by thepeculiar form and arrangement of the radial arms and their connectedparts the position of the runners may be varied to plant deeper or nearthe surface without materially affectwheel, which will travel at alltimes at the surface and act at a uniform pressure. will further be seenthat the runners and presser-wheels may yield independently and may bythe operation of the hand-lever be raised positively out of action orlowered into action, as desired.

In the operation of the machine motion is imparted from ground-wheel 5to a sprocketwheel 36, which, through the medium of a sprocket-chain 37,drives a small sprocketwheel 38, clutched to the outer end of horizontalshaft 39, extending within the hopper and operatively connected with theseeding mechanism. (Not shown.) The seed is discharged as the machineadvances through the back of the hopper and into vertical seedtubes 40,having their lower ends extending into the upper ends of the tubularextensions 13, whence the seed passes through the runners and isdeposited in the ground. In order that when the hand-lever is pushedforward to elevate the runners and press-wheels out of act-ion theseeding mechanism maybe antomatically rendered inoperative, I so formthe clutch on the end of the drive-shaft'39 that it will beautomaticallydisengaged. This is effected by mounting the sprocket-wheel38 loosely on the shaft to slide to a limited extent to disengage itsteeth from those on a clutch-sleeve 41, fixed to the shaft. Thesprocketwheel is urged into engagement with the clutch-sleeve by spring42, encircling the shaft between the wheel and a collar 43, fixed to theend of a shaft. Applied to the end of rock-shaft 19 is an arm 44, havingpivoted to its end a rod 45, provided with two tapering fi'ngers 46,adapted to extend above and below the shaft between the sprocket-wheeland a flange on the clutch-sleeve, as clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 5.hen the seeding mechanism is in action,with the runners and press-Wheels lowered, the arm 44 extends rearward, with the fingers withdrawnand the spring holding the sprocket-wheel in engagement with theclutch-sleeve. When, however, the shaft 19 is rocked to raise therunners and press-wheels out of action, as shown in Fig. 3, the fingers46 will be forced forward between the sprocketuvheel and clutch-sleeveand will positively push the wheel outward against the action of thespring and disengage the clutch, thereby stopping the operation of theseedrdiseharging mechanism.

It is obvious that the mechanism as regards the details may be variouslymodified without departing from the limits of my invention. Forinstance, it is not essential that the radial arms be both formedintegral with the encircling sleeve, but these arms may be applied tothe shaft in other ways and by separate sleeves, provided their relationand the general arrangement of the parts are such that the operationwill be substantially as above described.

ing the position or pressure of the covering- 1 Having thus described myinvention, what 1 I claim is It 1 1. In a seeding-machine, thecombination 1 with a vertically-movable runner and a vertically-movablepress-wheel, of means for 1 raising and lowering said parts, and meansfor adjusting the runner to vary the depth of planting, withoutmaterially altering the position of the press-wheel.

2. In a seeding-machine, the combination with a vertically-movablerunner and a vertically-movable press-wheel, of an adjusting devicecommon to said parts and connected therewith, said adjusting deviceformed and IlO arranged to move the runner and wheel vertically andadapted to adjust the runner Without changing the position of the wheel.

3. In a seeding-machine, the combination with a vertically-movablerunner and a vertically-movable press-Wheel, of springs acting thereon,means for raising and lowering the parts, and means for varying thepressure of the spring on the runner without varying the pressure ofthat on the press-wheel.

4. In a seeding-machine, the combination with a vertically-movablerunner and a vertically movable press-wheel, of arockin g arm, a rodconnecting said arm with the press-wheel and adapted, when thepress-Wheel is lowered,

to extend in line with the arm, a second rocking arm fixed with relationto the first arm, and a rod connecting the same with the runner andadapted when the press-wheel is lowered, to extend at an inclination tothe second arm.

5. In a seeding-machine, the combination with a vertically-movablerunner and a vertically-movable press-wheel, of a rocking arm, a rodhaving a sliding connection with the arm and jointed to the press-wheel,a spring encircling the rod and acted on by the arm, a second arm, a rodhaving a sliding connection therewith and jointed to the runner, and aspring encircling said rod and acted on by the second arm.

6. In a seeding-machine, the combination with a vertically-movablerunner and a vertically-movable press-wheel, of rocking arms extendingone in the rear of the other, means for rocking the arms, a connectionbetween the front arm and the press-wheel, and a connection between therear arm and the runner.

7. In a seeding-machine, the combination with a series ofvertically-movable runners and vertically-movable presswheels, of arock-shaft thereover, a series of pairs of arms on said shaft, each paircomprising a front and a rear arm, a series of rods connecting the frontarms respectively with the press- Wheels, and a series of rodsconnecting the rear arms respectively with the runners.

8. In a seeding-machine, the combination with a vertically-movablerunner and a vertically-movable presswheel, of a movable frame in whichthe press-wheel is mounted, a rock-shaft above said parts, an arm fixedto the shaft and formed with a pivoted head, a rod extending through thehead and jointed to the press-wheel frame, a spring encircling the rodand bearing on the head, a second arm fixed to the shaft and formed witha pivoted head, a rod extending through the head and jointed to therunner, and a spring encircling said rod and bearing on the pivotedhead.

9. In a seeding-machine, the combination with the axle and itssustaining-wheels, of a depending guide-arm, a vertically-movablepress-wheel frame comprising two arms extending at opposite sides of theguide-arm, a press-wheel j ournaled in the frame and means for raisingand lowering the frame.

10. In a seeding-machine, the combination with the axle andground-wheels, of a casting applied to the axle and formed with adepending guide-arm, a forwardly-extending arm, and a rear tubularextension, a runner pivoted to the forwardly-extending arm and formedwith a seed-channel adapted to receive the tubular extension, apress-wheel frame comprising two bars extending at the sides of therunner and guide-arm and pivoted to the forwardly-extending arm, apress- Wheel mounted in said frame and means for raising and loweringthe press-frame and the runner.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand, this 11th day of December,1899, in the presence of two attesting witnesses.

ALEXUS C. LINDGREN. lVitnesses:

A. J. BRESSLAU, THEO. STARKs.

